Question
Why are my hydrangeas all leaves and no flowers?

Answer
Dear Carol,

I wonder how often you fertilise your plant?  If you are not feeding it at all this could be the answer - once every two weeks is enough.  However, if you are feeding it more often or perhaps in greater quantity than the instructions on your fertiliser container then the leaves will be growing strong at the expense of flowers.

Also what type of soil is it in?  You can buy specially prepared soils and fertilisers for hydrangeas, rhododendrons, azales, camellias all of which prefer a lime free compost.

Of course in the summer your plant will need frequent watering, sometimes twice a day, as there is a large leaf area which takes up a lot of moisture from the soil. Frequent misting will be beneficial too.  Tepid soft water is preferable.  Good bright light is important too but not direct summer sun since, when your plant does have flowers, the sun will dry them up very quickly.  At the end of what would be the normal flowering season cut back the stems to half their size.

If you have space outside then the plant will benefit from fresh air during the summer and in the winter you can bring it back indoors to a cool room and continue watering, but sparingly.  At the beginning of the year the plant will need more warmth and light again and watering can be increased.

Presumably when you purchased your plant it was in flower - was this last year or is the plant older than that?  Has it flowered since the time you bought it?

I hope the above information will help you to encourage flowers on your plant for next Spring and Summer.  Good Luck.

Diana